Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
In a beet harvester including lifter wheel means for removing beets from the soil and paddle means for deflecting removed beets from the lifter wheels, the improvement comprising a hugger chain assembly including a continuous forward hugger chain and a continuous rear hugger chain, each of said hugger chains including a rising portion with the rising portions of each hugger chain being in a substantially parallel relation to define a space therebetween adapted to receive beets in pressure engagement to elevate and clean the beets as the rising portions of the hugger chains are advanced in a generally upward direction, the rear hugger chain including a conveyor portion which extends in a forward substantially horizontal direction adjacent to said paddle means to receive beets deflected thereby whereby beets deflected onto the conveyor portion are fed during the advancement of the hugger chains to the space defined by the rising portions of the hugger chains, and a grab roll bed communicating with the space between the rising portions of the hugger chains, said bed including at least two pair of rollers adapted to be driven to clean beets fed to the grab roll bed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
In a beet harvester including lifter wheel means for removing beets from the soil and paddle means for deflecting removed beets from the lifter wheels, the improvement comprising a hugger chain assembly including a continuous forward hugger chain and a continuous rear hugger chain, each of said hugger chains including a rising portion with the rising portions of each hugger chain being in a substantially parallel relation to define a space therebetween adapted to receive beets in pressure engagement to elevate and clean the beets as the rising portions of the hugger chains are advanced in a generally upward direction, the rear hugger chain including a conveyor portion which extends in a forward substantially horizontal direction adjacent to said paddle means to receive beets deflected thereby whereby beets deflected onto the conveyor portion are fed during the advancement of the hugger chains to the space defined by the rising portions of the hugger chains, and a grab roll bed communicating with the space between the rising portions of the hugger chains, said bed including at least two pair of rollers adapted to be driven to clean beets fed to the grab roll bed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 which includes means to drive the forward hugger chain and the rear hugger chain.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 wherein the rising portions of the hugger chains extend in a substantially vertical direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 which includes means to constantly urge at least one of the rising portions of the hugger chains toward the other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A harvester as defined in claim 4 wherein said means includes a biased roller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper portions of the hugger chains define a pocket whereby the beets passed into the pocket are given a tumbling motion to enhance the cleaning of the beets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 wherein the hugger chains are dimensioned to extend over substantially the entire width of the harvester.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 wherein the driven rollers of the grab roll bed extend in a direction transverse to the direction of flow of beets through the harvester over substantially the entire width thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 wherein one driven roller of each pair of rollers contains a pattern on the surface thereof to enhance the cleaning action of the rollers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A harvester as defined in claim 9 wherein the other roller is formed of a substantially smooth peripheral surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A harvester as defined in claim 1 whErein the driven roller of each pair are driven in opposite directions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A harvester as defined in claim 11 wherein the driven rollers of each pair are driven in a direction toward the other roller of the pair.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A harvester as defined in claim 9 wherein said one driven roller contains a first portion having a substantially smooth peripheral surface and first spiral ridge means on said surface to distribute the beets over the bed and a second portion having a textured peripheral surface and second spiral ridge means on the textured surface, with the first and second spiral ridge means being formed of opposite spiral means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A harvester as defined in claim 13 wherein each of the first and second spiral ridge means includes a reverse spiral at the outer edges thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A harvester as defined in claim 2 wherein the forward and rear hugger chains are adapted to be driven at different speeds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A harvester as defined in claim 2 wherein the forward hugger chain is adapted to be driven at a rate faster than that of the rear hugger chain.